33 



BOOK REVIEW 

 Linnaeus* 



The present volume, the most complete life of the "Father of 

 Modern Botany" in English, represents the efforts of two men 

 admirably fitted for the work. The late Professor Fries was 

 professor of botany at Upsala, had control of the old botanic 

 garden with Linnaeus' house, and was the first administrator of 

 the home at Hammerby after it became the property of the 

 state. He had access to all the university records of the years 

 when Linnaeus was a student and professor as well as to all the 

 correspondence and collections. In addition he had been an 

 admirer of his great predecessor since childhood. Dr. Jackson 

 who has adapted and translated the life is the general secretary 

 of the Linnean Society of London and has written numerous 

 articles on Linneaus and his herbarium. 



The reader follows the life of the child who was quieted with a 

 flower when fretful, through the boyhood days and away to 

 college, travels with him through Lapland and goes down to 

 Holland to share in the recognition and honor given the young 

 botanist. Later he returns with him to Sweden and watches 

 him in his university and home life. The descriptions are 

 complete and make the reader feel the charm of the man. Fol- 

 lowing the story of the life of Linnaeus come chapters on his 

 authorship and correspondence, the benefactors and friends, 

 his family relations, his scientific importance. The book is con- 

 siderably condensed from the two volumes by Fries and some 

 new material has been added. Some stories long current, such 

 as the quarrel with Rosen, have been investigated and shown 

 to be largely fables with a slight basis of fact. Regarding the 

 statement that Linnaeus named stately and beautiful plants 

 after his friends, insignificant and ugly ones after his enemies, 

 it is remarked that Linnaeus considered no plants insignificant 

 or ugly. It is interesting after reading of how many men, 

 professors in the L^niversity, eminent botanists of the time, or 

 great merchants with a love of plants helped the young student 

 and gave him opportunity for study and for collecting to see 



* Benjamin Dayton Jackson, Linnaeus, The Story of his Life, Adapted 

 from the Swedish of Theodore iMagnus Fries, pp. i-xv, 1-416. H. F. & G. 

 Wetherby, London, 1923. Price 25s. 



